EU moves closer to new rights for bus travellers

New rights for Europe’s bus and coach passengers inched a step closer yesterday (23 June), after national governments conceded that the proposed law might be partly extended to regional services.

The regulation proposed by the European Commission seeks to guarantee that people travelling by bus and coach have similar rights to air passengers, but has been the subject of difficult negotiations between national governments and the European Parliament.

The two sides have almost converged on a core set of rights, covering disabled passengers, complaints and compensation for lost luggage or in the event of death.

The sticking-point has been how far these rights should apply to regional services. The Parliament has agreed that urban and suburban buses should be exempt from the law, but has been insisting on including regional services.

National governments would prefer to restrict the law to international services, but on Wednesday (23 June), deputy ambassadors agreed that they were prepared to meet the Parliament halfway in one respect. A majority of member states decided that an obligation to provide “reasonable assistance” following an accident could also be extended to regional services. Reasonable assistance could mean providing clothing or accommodation, but, crucially, is left undefined in the text. Member states think this is vague enough to avoid onerous burdens on operators.

The Parliament could still reject this proposal, forcing the law into the uncertainties of conciliation, the EU’s last-resort arbitration operators.

An earlier controversial issue of compensation limits in the event of death or lost luggage, has been largely agreed. Under the current text, coach companies would be obliged to pay at least €220,000 in the event of the death of a passenger. For lost luggage, long-distance companies would pay €1,200, falling to €500 for regional services.

MEPs are to vote on the law on 5 July. On the same day they vote on a companion regulation on maritime rights, which has already been agreed.

Rémi Lebeda of the International Road Transport Union said a “good compromise” was emerging, but the industry continued to have concerns on assistance to disabled passengers in bus stations.